Guest Barb B Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 OK - this is my latest thought - compile a list of books for my dd to read (this year and coming years too). A list of books (fiction, non fiction, bios., historical fiction. . . ) with strong, yet feminine females. I wouldn't call my dd a tom boy, but she is not a nail painting, giggly, into fashion type either. A friend and I were talking on how we know a few upper teens and lower 20 year old girls who drop out of college or are making very poor choices. This got me thinking of what good books to get our 7th and 8th grade girls reading - that have good female role models. I am searching, and thought I would ask here! Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 (edited) We loved Wise Child, Juniper (and Colman, though the main character in this one is a boy) by Monica Furlong. His Dark Materials trilogy ranks as one of my all time favourites. More to come... Edited September 4, 2011 by MelanieM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 I am :bigear: for this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deniseibase Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 If she likes fantasy, my dd grade 6 just got done with Dragonsong and Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffery, two novels about a young girl on another planet where dragons are real, who wants nothing more than to develop her talent for music. She faces obstacles ranging from parents who don't understand her (to the extent that they deliberately allow an injury to her hand to heal badly in hopes she will give up her music if she can't play an instrument), to jealousy of the other girls when she finally makes it to a music school. Throughout it all she is a little shy and anxious, but she finds courage and honesty when needed to defend her music and her friends. They are older books, I loved them when I was a girl and I'm pleased my daughter likes them now. She's also reading the Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett. These four books are about a young girl who is discovering a talent for magic and learning to become her village's witch. There is a lot of humor in these books, and they are surprisingly real psychologically - one of the themes that runs through the books is how Tiffany struggles with being so DIFFERENT from those around her. But she is extremely brave and loyal to her principles, her family, and her village, even when her village is not being loyal to her. The first book is The Wee Free Men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 If she likes fantasy, my dd grade 6 just got done with Dragonsong and Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffery, two novels about a young girl on another planet where dragons are real, who wants nothing more than to develop her talent for music. She faces obstacles ranging from parents who don't understand her (to the extent that they deliberately allow an injury to her hand to heal badly in hopes she will give up her music if she can't play an instrument), to jealousy of the other girls when she finally makes it to a music school. Throughout it all she is a little shy and anxious, but she finds courage and honesty when needed to defend her music and her friends. They are older books, I loved them when I was a girl and I'm pleased my daughter likes them now. She's also reading the Tiffany Aching series by Terry Pratchett. These four books are about a young girl who is discovering a talent for magic and learning to become her village's witch. There is a lot of humor in these books, and they are surprisingly real psychologically - one of the themes that runs through the books is how Tiffany struggles with being so DIFFERENT from those around her. But she is extremely brave and loyal to her principles, her family, and her village, even when her village is not being loyal to her. The first book is The Wee Free Men. Both series are great suggestions. Be aware that the 4th Tiffany book goes into much darker areas than I had expected (IIRC, a 13 yo girl gets pregnant by her 13 yo boyfriend and her father beats her so severely she miscarries--this was perhaps chapter 2?), so you may want to take a look at that one if you have a younger or sensitive child. We chose to hold off on it for a bit yet, though she had read the rest of the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 I just asked my oldest daughter to chime in. Hopefully she sees my email while the thread is still fresh. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 I bumped the thread where I asked this same question on the k-8 board. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=303436&page=2&highlight=literature+for+girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm It's a great book about a girl learning to think of others, know herself, and become a mature wonderful woman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 21dd never checks her email, so I asked the 17yo. She is mostly into fairy tales and fantasy, so keep that in mind :D Here are her suggestions: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Jones Anything by Tamora Pierce Holly Clause by Julie Andrews The Star of Kazaan by Eva Ibbotson Anything by Gail Carson Levine A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer Blizzard's Wake by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor Maddigan's Fantasia by Margaret Mahy Spellfall by Katherine Roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Barb B Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 Well, here's how I asked it on the high school board. Maybe I was clearer: I am looking to create a list of books that have a woman character that is a "strong" women character, with good character, christian, feminine yet strong in some way - does that make sense? Truly there is probably lots out there, I just can't find many. . . am brain dead I guess. I know little Women is out there, but I may be the only one that just couldn't get through it?. I would like to show dd through books that women can be maternal, feminine, have a positive influence on others, take care of themselves and yet be nice. Seems in movies and our culture women and girls are portrayed as either mean, bi*&*y, air headed, s*x objects or victims. I would love to read and discuss the opposite of all that! HELP. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
springy Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 I have an online resource that allows me to search books by gender, keyword, etc. If you are interested in that resource, let me know. It's hard to know how to steer you not knowing your daughter, but here are some good classical titles with strong female protagonists for your consideration: A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter Joan of Arc by Mark Twain Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (Romantic but a GREAT character!) Little Women (if she hasn't already read it) Middlemarch by George Elliot - more of a high school level book. Hope that helps!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown, both by Robin McKinley. I loved these when I was younger and my daughter adores them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Create Your Ritual Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 I also liked Shannon Hale's books - Book of a Thousand Days Princess Academy (Newberry Honor Winner) Books of the Bayern set. (Goose Girl, etc. - based on Grimm's fairytale) They would most likely be enjoyed by tweens and teens. I read them all and enjoyed them quite a bit and they have strong female characters in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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